John Mellencamp

In honor of this election year, I am looking back at the 25 greatest protest songs of all time. Iâ€™m starting with No. 25 and working my way up. Note: Each artist was only eligible to have one song make the list. To read past entries on this list, click here.

12, â€œRain on the Scarecrow,â€ John Mellencamp (1985)
Mellencamp came to fame singing about the small-town American Dream, through such memorable cuts as â€œJack and Dianeâ€ and â€œPink Houses.â€ With â€œRain on the Scarecrow,â€ the singer-songwriter addressed a nightmare _ the plight of the American farmer _ and delivered one of the most convincing protest songs of the last 25 years.Continue Reading →

John Mellencampâ€™s classic version of the American Dream, where two young lovers can share a â€œchili dog behind the Tastee Freezeâ€ and no problem is so big that it canâ€™t be handled with the right truck, looks pretty appealing in 2008.

Indeed, it looks a heck of a lot more appealing than the American reality, where a gallon of gas costs almost $5, the economic outlook seems bleak and political unrest is all around. Perhaps thatâ€™s why Mellencampâ€™s older songs connected so solidly with the crowd during the singerâ€™s show on Saturday night (Aug. 2) at the UC Greek Theatre in Berkeley.

Many of Mellencampâ€™s best-loved tunes, such as â€œPink Houses,â€ â€œSmall Townâ€ and â€œJack and Diane,â€ evoke warm, Heartland-heavy images of what was perceived to be a simpler time. Whether it was actually less complicated, or thatâ€™s just nostalgia doing the talking, is another question entirely.Continue Reading →

Pink Houses
Paper in Fire
Iâ€™m Not Running Anymore
My Sweet Love
Check It Out
Minutes to Memories
Longest Days
Young without Lovers
Small Town
Rain on the Scarecrow
Troubled Land
If I Die Sudden
Jena
Human Wheels
Crumblinâ€™ Down
R.O.C.K. in the U.S.A.
Jack & DianeContinue Reading →

John Mellencamp, Lucinda Williams
Saturday, Aug. 22
If you are planning to go see John Mellencamp, we strongly suggest that you arrive in time to see the opening act: Lucinda Williams. Sheâ€™s one of the best singer-songwriters in the business and her body work easily matches (even surpasses) that of the headlinerâ€™s. 7:30 p.m. U.C. Greek Theatre, Gayley Road and Stadium Rim Way, Berkeley, $39.50-$99.50, 510-625-TIXS, 925-685-TIXS or 415-421-TIXS, www.apeconcerts.com.

Mike Stern is one of the greatest guitarists in history. The Yellowjackets rank among the most popular jazz quartets of modern times. The collaboration between the two acts, which produced the new CD â€œLifecycle,â€ is being called one of the yearâ€™s top jazz events. 8 and 10 p.m. Aug. 6-9; matinee and 8 p.m. shows on Aug. 10; See www.yoshis.com for more info.Continue Reading →

Bloomington, IN – April 10 — John Mellencamp will begin his summer tour this July on top of the release of his 23rd career album, Life, Death, Love and Freedom. The greatly anticipated tour kicks off on Tuesday, July 8th at Philadelphia â€™s Mann Music Center with more dates to follow that will bring John and the band to play on both coasts as well as the middle of the country over the course of almost four weeks on the road. Itâ€™s the iconic artistâ€™s first tour since his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame last month.

Mellencamp and his touring band will be highlighting new songs from the album as well as a broad spectrum of repertoire reflecting four decades of recording and touring. Tour markets include Boston , New York , Chicago , Detroit , Cincinnati , Denver , San Francisco , Los Angeles and others. Mellencamp began performing unreleased songs from Life, Death, Love and Freedom, last year within his concert set. The new songs were enthusiastically received by audiences and critics, alike, in the American Midwest, North East as well as across Canada .

Writing in the Grand Rapids Press, John Sinkevics noted, â€œMellencamp expertly straddled that line all night long â€“ delivering the expected as well as the surprising.â€

The Calgary Heraldâ€™s Eric Volmers wrote, â€œNew songs, like a soaring rocker with a stirring anti-racism message, showed that the songwriter is still an artist, not merely a jukebox.â€

Jeffrey Lee Puckett, in his Louisville Courier-Journal review, observed, â€œInstead of the youthful rebelliousness of decades past, I saw an artist, parent and American who is pondering what will be left for future generations expressing genuine concerns about what tomorrow will bring. Iâ€™m not sure Iâ€™ve ever seen such raw emotional vulnerability from an arena artist who has sold millions of records.â€

The Saskatoon Star Phoenix called Mellencamp â€œthe Poet Laureate of the Interstateâ€ while The Nation suggested, â€œMellencamp has repeatedly taken career-risking anti-war, anti-racist and anti-poverty stands that other celebrities of his stature tend to avoid.â€

Following a recent benefit for New York â€™s Housing Works, Jon Pareles wrote in the New York Times, â€œ…he hasnâ€™t forgotten his insolent guitar riffs or the defiant streak [that] he now channels into populist convictions.â€

In keeping with a policy that started more than ten years ago, members of the official John Mellencamp fan club, Club Cherry Bomb, will be offered early access to premium concert tickets and concert ticket packages via an internet pre-sale available through John’s website Mellencamp.com.